A Summer’s Day at Kenwood and Beyond

A chillier then expected top temperature of 21.5 °C on Hampstead Heath – a warm but cloudy day that made the walk up across the Heath feel less sumamry than expected. 

As we made our way towards Kenwood House, the skyline unfolded from the Heath: the City stretching across the horizon, St Paul’s dome clearly visible in the middle with The Shard rising sharply beyond it – an unmistakable reminder that London’s centre is never far away. I always love these views.

Kenwood House itself proved to be an incredible discovery. The neoclassical exterior gave way to a restored, if shabby in places,  interior that is home to a small but impressive art collection. A Turner landscape on one wall, but it was the Rembrandt self-portrait that stopped us in our tracks – despite the number of people quietly moving past.

In the evening, we headed into town and had dinner at Kitty Hawk on top of the Page 8 Hotel. The terrace offers a partial view over Trafalgar Square, but the setting never quite matched the promise of its location. The loud music and crowds of drinkers made it feel more like a busy bar than a restaurant, and the service struggled to keep up. It wasn’t a disaster, but it felt a little off-key.